Questions to be posed by a baptism

mars 7, 2024mars 1, 2024 par Christadelphians, publié dans ??? Questions asked, Almighty God, Jesus Christ - son of God, Questions & Answers

Baptême, doop, onderdompeling, l'immersion totale dans l'eau — Photo by Jose Vasquez on Pexels.com

Questions to be posed by a baptism

First and primary question: Why do you want to be baptized?
(Acceptable answers involve one’s love for God, and a personal desire and commitment to serve Him. Unacceptable answers: « I’m old enough now. » « It would make my parents (or husband, or wife, or children) happy. » « My friends are getting baptized. »)

What is the Bible?
A collection of writings by men inspired by God, to write the story of God’s dealings with man, and to write of God’s offer of eternal life.2. Is there any other direct source of the knowledge about eternal life?
No.

3. What was the condition of the original creation, including Adam when he was first created?
Perfect, or « very good ». There was no sin or death in the world.

4. What caused Adam to lose this condition? That is, what brought God’s curse upon man and his world?
Adam disobeyed God!

5. Does Adam’s transgression affect us? If so, how?
Yes, the consequence of Adam’s disobedience is upon all mankind, in our mortal, sinful natures inherited from him.

6. Has God made any provision for our redemption from this curse?
Yes, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

7. What is the primary promise God made to Abram?
That he and his « seed » would receive the land of Palestine for an everlasting possession.

8. Was this promise made to anyone else?
Yes, to hls descendants Isaac and Jacob.

9. Did any of them actually receive this promise?
No, they all died in faith, not yet receiving the promise.

10. Who is the « seed » referred to in these promises?
Jesus Christ, the descendant of Abraham.

11. How can we inherit these promises?
By being baptized into Christ we become spiritually the children of Abraham, and heirs with Christ of the same promise.

12. What is the gospel?
The « good news » of the kingdom of God and the name (or purpose) of Jesus Christ.

13. Did God ever have a kingdom on earth before?
Yes, the kingdom of Israel. It was ruled first by the judges, then by the kings for about 400 years.

14. What happened to that kingdom?
It was first divided and then overthrown, and the people of Israel scattered among the other nations, because of their rebellion against God.

15. What is the promise God made to David, king of Israel?
That his kingdom would be restored and his « seed » would rule over it forever, sitting upon his throne in Jerusalem.

16. Who is the « seed » referred to in this promise?
Jesus Christ, the descendant of David.

17. What is the nature of man?
Mortal. Physically, he has no superiority over the animals. When his breath leaves him, he dies, and ceases to possess all of his senses.

18. What is the « soul »?
The body, the person himself. The entire being.

19. What is the « spirit »?
The breath of life within man. Also, his mind or disposition.

20. Does the Bible teach that men or their « souls » go to heaven at death?
No.

21. Does man or his « soul » have any conscious existence in death?
No.

22. How many Gods are there?
Only one God, the Creator of all things.

23. Who is Jesus Christ?
The only-begotten Son of God, born of the virgin Mary.

24. Is Jesus also a man?
Yes. He was born with the same mortal, sinful nature which we all possess. Even now, although he is immortal, he is still a man.

25. Are God and His Son the same person, or separate persons of a « trinity »?
No, there is only one God!

26. Did Jesus have a pre-human existence?
No, except in the mind and purpose of God.

27. Are God and His Son equal in power?
No. God is supreme. Any power and authority which Christ now has was given him by his Father.

28. What is God’s Spirit?
God’s power, by which He performs His will.

29. Is the Holy Spirit a separate and co-equal « God »?
No, it is simply an extension of the one God.

30. Who or what is the « devil »?
The personification of evil or sin, which is part of mortal human nature.

31. While he was mortal, was it possible for Jesus to sin?
Yes. Otherwise, his temptation and victory over sin, or the « devil », would have been unreal and pointless.

32. Why was it necessary in God’s plan that the Savior be a man?
So that by perfect obedience he might overcome the « devil » in his own flesh.

33. Why was it necessary that Jesus die?
As a perfect sacrifice, to destroy perfectly and absolutely this « devil », or the power of sin in himself. And as a representative for others, who by faith in him might be forgiven their sins and thus win their own victories over sin.

34. Why did God raise Christ from the dead, and give him eternal life?
Because he was perfectly obedient, even to the death of the cross, and therefore the grave could not hold him in death.

35. After his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven. What is his role now?
He is acting as a high-priest and mediator for those who through faith approach God in prayer.

36. Can we pray to God through anyone other than Jesus Christ?
No. He is the only mediator between God and man.

31. Did Jesus die because God was angry with mankind?
No, he died because God so loved the world that He was willing that His beloved Son should die, so that sinners might believe, repent, and be saved.

38. Who or what is « satan »
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for adversary. In the New Testament Greek Satanas is the same as « the devil », a parable about sin.
What are « unclean spirits » and « demons »?
A New Testament way of describing mental illnesses and disorders.40. What is « hell »? What is the difference between Hades and Gehenna?
Hell in English is the translation of two different Greek words:
– Hades is the pit or the grave; in short, the state of the dead that sleep.
– Gehenna is a valley in Jerusalem that is used in a prophecy by Jeremiah.

41. Are the wicked tortured forever?
No, they simply die without hope. This is an « eternal punishment » because it is eternal death.

42. What is required before baptism?
A knowledge and belief of the gospel. This belief should also lead to sincere repentance of past sins.

43. Briefly, what is the gospel?
The gospel is the « good news » about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. It is the message that God will fill the earth with His glory in a group of immortal people who will love and obey him. Jesus will establish the kingdom of God upon the earth and rule as king with his saints for a thousand years.

44. What is baptism?
Immersion or complete covering by water.

45. Why are we to be baptized in this way?
Because it symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

46. Why must we be baptized?
It is the only way by which our sins may be washed away and we may put on the name of Jesus Christ.

47. Why must we bear the name of Jesus Christ?
So that we may become heirs with him of God’s promise and partake of his righteousness through faith.

48. Are all people who ever lived going to be raised from the dead?
No, only those responsible to God by knowledge.

49. What will become of those who live and die without knowledge of the gospel?
They will perish. They will not be resurrected.

50 . When will the resurrection take place?
At the return of Christ to the earth.

51. What else will Jesus do when he returns?
He will assemble the living responsible, together with those who have been raised from the dead. He will judge all the responsible, punishing the unfaithful with eternal death and rewarding the faithful with eternal life.

52. After the righteous are made immortal, what happens?
Christ and his saints will establish their rule over the world, by divine force if necessary, and set up the kingdom of God.

53. Who will be the king of this kingdom?
Jesus Christ.

54. Who will rule with him?
The immortalized saints.

55. Who will be the subjects of this kingdom?
The mortal people who are left after the times of trouble.

56. Does the return of the Jews to Israel have any part in God’s plan?

Yes, they will undergo trials; some will repent and be prepared for the coming of Jesus their Messiah, so as to be the « first dominion » of his kingdom.

57. How long will Christ reign?
About one thousand years.

58. What takes place after the thousand years?
All sin and death will be removed at last, and the earth will truly be filled with God’s glory.

59. When only immortal people are on the earth, why will happen next?
Christ will turn the kingdom over to the Father.

60. Who are the angels?
The messengers of God. Sometimes the Bible uses the word for mere mortal men, but most often the angels were and are immortal beings from heaven.

61. Can angels marry or rebel?
No. Jesus says angels do not marry.

62. Can we be saved by good works only?
No, we are saved by the grace of God through faith.

63. Can we be saved apart from the sacrifice of Christ?
No, it is the only way our sins may be forgiven.

64. Should believers vote or take part in politics?
No. Their kingdom is not of this world. They believe that God rules in the kingdom of men, and sets up and removes whomever He pleases; therefore they should not put themselves in the position of opposing the will of their Father in heaven.

65. Should believers bear arms, or serve in the military or police force?
No. They should be strangers and pilgrims in this present evil world, not resisting the authority of governments, but also not participating in exercising that authority either.

66. Should believers avenge themselves against wrong, by suing at law or by other means?
No. They should « turn the other cheek », return good for evil, forgive those who wrong them, and even love their enemies.

67. What is our duty toward God and His Son?
To love and praise and glorify God through His Son, in all things and at all times. To keep the commandments of Christ to the best of our abilities, out of gratitude for what God has done for us.

68. What is our duty toward the world?
To love our neighbors as ourselves, in deeds as well as words. If possible, to teach them the Truth of God.

69. Does anyone possess the Holy Spirit gifts today?
No. Those gifts ceased after the Apostles’ days.

70. Whom should a believer marry?
Only another believer. We are commanded not to become unequally yoked together with an unbeliever.

71. Should a believer ever seek to be divorced?
No. What God has joined, man should not divide.

72. What special ordinance did Christ institute?
The Lord’s supper, or the breaking of bread. It is also sometimes called communion.

73. What is the Lord’s supper?
The breaking of bread and the partaking of wine in remembrance of Christ.

74. What does this signify?
The bread represents the body of Christ; the wine, his shed blood; together, they show forth his death on our behalf, until he comes.

75. How often should we partake of the Lord’s supper?
Every Sunday, if possible.

76. Can anyone partake of the Lord’s supper?
No, only baptized believers in the true gospel.

77. Why do we insist on breaking bread or communion only with members?
Christ did not ask anyone but true believers to so remember him. In this way false doctrines cannot dilute or destroy the true gospel believed among us. Also, by not breaking bread with others who do not believe as we do, we are showing them how important our hope is to us, and encouraging them to learn the same truths.

78. Have you fully considered all the present disadvantages (from a natural point of view) that the Truth will bring upon you?
Yes, and I am prepared to accept them.

79. Do you realize the Truth is not just a « religion », but an entirely different way of life?
Yes, and I am prepared to live it.

Infant baptism versus baptism as an adult #3 Adult baptism

mars 4, 2024février 29, 2024 par Marcus Ampe, publié dans Behaviour or attitude towards others, Christadelphian, Faith, Questions & Answers

Photo by Andres Pu00e9rez Manjarres on Pexels.com

At the time of Jesus, adults were immersed as a sign of surrender to the Only True God, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. For the Hebrews, baptism was also a reminder of the People of Israel, who had to pass through the water after slavery to experience real freedom. They had always lived as slaves and did not know any better, but because of the split sea they walked towards their liberation. The descendants also wanted to remember this liberation. The point is not to be a slave to the world anymore, but to be freed by the Grace of God.

Jesus was also baptised in adulthood before he began his preaching tours. It could be said that there was no reason at all that Jesus should be baptised. He was a very pious Jew who had committed no sins at all and had completely surrendered to his Father. Yet he thought it was passable to be baptised.
He himself also instructed his disciples to preach and baptise people in the Name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus had commanded them. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15) Those baptisms were there for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the free gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:38) and were also a sign to others that they wanted to give up as a believer (Acts 8:12-13)

Today, for us, baptism is also a confession for the entire community that one surrenders to God and wants to come under Christ, and that one now wants to go through life as a brother or sister in Christ.

It is so easy for young people to take something very enthusiastically and then, with equal fire, tackle something else again. We also notice that in certain Trinitarian churches several young people are baptised, but after a few years, they have completely lost the way of God. Others show that they had not understood the person of God properly and had or had not submitted to a Trinity unless, however, very few were convinced that they had dedicated themselves to a simple God. The latter category is special and commendable. But they will ultimately have to admit that their baptism happened for members of a Trinitarian church and thus cannot be seen as a surrender to a community of true worshippers of the One True God.

It may be safe that in his teenage years, the adolescent was convinced with the knowledge already acquired that they had it right. They could even say « Yes » to questions asked at the time.
Could those teenagers at that stage really realise what baptism really means and what it means to take the step of the assignment as a perpetual ’vow to God’ to always do His will, involving their entire lives?

I believe that when one has passed 12 years, one can indeed make a serious choice for God. Teenage baptism is therefore a valid union between the baptismal candidate and God. Suppose that baptism happened in a non-Trinitarian church, as in the Church of God, the Abrahamic Church of God, Church of the Blessed Hope or « CGAF » (associated with Christadelphians), the Non-Trinitarian Baptists or the Witnesses of Jehovah. In that case, it is an acceptable baptism for us.

However, if it was a baptismal matter in a Trinitarian church, such as the Pentecostal church, we must insist that people re-baptise better and give a sign of humility towards the religious community by being completely immersed in the presence of non-Trinitarian brothers and sisters.